Difference Between Written Language And Spoken Language

Spoken vs. Written Language

One of the main characteristics which separates humans from other life forms is the understanding and usage of language. People are surrounded by it every day, yet not many actually stop and think about whether spoken language and written language differ and to what degree. Spoken and written languages are in fact similar in their function, yet they also possess significant differences – ones of vocabulary and grammar.

To begin with, spoken and written languages are similar because they have the same function – to share information and express emotions. In spoken language the former function is manifested in conferences and university or school classes. In conferences, especially academic ones, information about

In spoken language the usage of simpler, often monosyllabic words is preferred. For example, get might be used instead of acquire, or understand instead of comprehend. Slang is often present in speech. It involves such words as gotta, meaning have to, divvy up meaning distribute and ta! meaning thank you. What is more, fillers are also constantly used in spoken language. The most prevalent words which can be classified as fillers are like, y’know, so, basically, right. These characteristics are exclusive to spoken language because they give a natural, less formal tone to the speaker and, consequently, help him develop a connection with the audience. In opposition, written language tends to be quite different in vocabulary. Polysyllabic words and terminology are favoured in written text. Additionally, synonyms are an essential part of written language, as they not only enrich it, but help the writer avoid repetition. There are numerous possible variants of synonyms, for instance, the word huge can be replaced by enormous, massive, tremendous or extensive. Such vocabulary is typical in written texts, especially in academic writing since it is formal and it appeals to a particular audience, for instance, those, who understand certain

Spoken language is known for the use of active voice, where the subject in the sentence performs the action expressed by the verb, for example, The cat scratched the girl’s arm. This makes speech more fluent and concise, as well as easier for both the speaker to communicate and listener to understand. Furthermore, pronouns used in spoken language are usually informal. Basic personal pronouns include I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they. Informality in register gives a sense of connection when speaking. By contrast, in written language passive voice is used, that is when the object in active voice appears as the subject in passive and the focus falls on the action, for example, The girl’s arm was scratched by the cat. The passive voice is preferred in written language as it adds formality to a text. Moreover, informal personal pronouns tend to be avoided in written language and replaced by the pronoun one. According to Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English, the generic one is impersonal and quite formal, therefore is largely restricted to the written registers, especially fiction and academic